SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:12
he aquí lo he hecho conforme a tus palabras; he aquí que te he dado corazón sabio y entendido, tanto que no haya habido antes de ti otro como tú, ni después de ti se levantará otro como tú.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 3:12
Verse 12. I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart] I have given thee a capacious mind, one capable of knowing much: make a proper use of thy powers, under the direction of my Spirit, and thou shalt excel in wisdom all that have gone before thee; neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. But, query, Was not all this conditional? If he should walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and commandments, ver. 14. Was it not to depend upon his proper use of initiatory inspirations? Did he ever receive all this wisdom? Did not his unfaithfulness prevent the fulfillment of the Divine purpose? Instead of being the wisest of men, did he not become more brutish than any man? Did he not even lose the knowledge of his Creator, and worship the abominations of the Moabites, Zidonians, &c., &c.! And was not such idolatry a proof of the grossest stupidity? How few proofs does his life give that the gracious purpose of God was fulfilled in him! He received much; but he would have received much more, had he been faithful to the grace given. No character in the sacred writings disappoints us more than the character of Solomon. None like thee before thee] That is, no king, either in Israel or among the nations, as the following verse explains.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. Behold, I have done according to thy words , etc.] Expressed in his request: he not only promised he would grant him it, but he had already done it, or at least had begun to do it: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart ; had greatly increased his wisdom and understanding in things political, things respecting civil government, and also in things natural, in the knowledge of the things of nature as appears from ( 1 Kings 4:33); and of the arts and sciences: so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee : which some restrain to kings, and to the kings of Israel; that there were none of the kings before him, as Saul and David, like him for wisdom, nor any of the kings of Judah and Israel after him; but it may include all men of all nations in the world, since he is said to be wiser than all men; and some other nations, and particular men of other nations, famous for wisdom, are expressly mentioned as inferior to him, ( Kings 4:30,31); but then this must be understood of men since the fall; for Adam, doubtless, had a larger stock of knowledge and understanding in his state of innocence than ever Solomon had; and it must be restrained to political and natural knowledge; for, as for divine knowledge, Kimchi excepts Moses; and we may well except the apostles of Christ for spiritual and evangelical knowledge; and as for our Lord, the antitype of Solomon, he is greater than him in all kind of knowledge, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge being hid in him, (see Matthew 12:42 Colossians 2:3).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-15 - Solomon's dream was not a common one. While his bodily powers wer locked up in sleep, the powers of his soul were strengthened; he wa enabled to receive the Divine vision, and to make a suitable choice God, in like manner, puts us in the ready way to be happy, by assurin us we shall have what we need, and pray for. Solomon's making such choice when asleep, and the powers of reason least active, showed it came from the grace of God. Having a humble sense of his own wants an weakness, he pleads, Lord, I am but a little child. The more wise an considerate men are, the better acquainted they are with their ow weakness, and the more jealous of themselves. Solomon begs of God to give him wisdom. We must pray for it, Jas 1:5, that it may help us in our particular calling, and the various occasions we have. Those ar accepted of God, who prefer spiritual blessings to earthly good. It wa a prevailing prayer, and prevailed for more than he asked. God gave his wisdom, such as no other prince was ever blessed with; and also gav him riches and honour. If we make sure of wisdom and grace, these wil bring outward prosperity with them, or sweeten the want of it. The way to get spiritual blessings, is to wrestle with God in prayer for them The way to get earthly blessings, is to refer ourselves to God concerning them. Solomon has wisdom given him, because he did ask it and wealth, because he did not.
Original Hebrew
הנה 2009 עשׂיתי 6213 כדבריך 1697 הנה 2009 נתתי 5414 לך לב 3820 חכם 2450 ונבון 995 אשׁר 834 כמוך 3644 לא 3808 היה 1961 לפניך 6440 ואחריך 310 לא 3808 יקום 6965 כמוך׃ 3644
